Studio Lead
Job Fit Check
Base Career helps you apply smarter for this job.
Key skills for this role
About the Role
Egis Group seeks a Studio Lead to lead the Dubai studio, grow regional presence, strengthen client relationships, and oversee project delivery. The role requires a qualified architect with 15+ years experience, significant Middle East experience, and proven leadership in international design practices.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Lead 10 Design’s presence in Dubai and act as a senior representative in the UAE and wider Middle East region
- Build, maintain and strengthen relationships with clients, developers, investors, operators, consultants, contractors and strategic partners
- Identify new opportunities and help convert them into secured work
- Lead and support client presentations, interviews, bids, proposals and strategic pursuits
- Lead, manage and mentor the Dubai team, creating a clear sense of direction, accountability and momentum
- Act as the senior local lead for projects in the region, giving clients confidence that their projects are properly led and coordinated
- Brief, guide and manage remote project teams across London, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, the US and other studios
- Take responsibility for the commercial health of the Dubai studio and the projects under your leadership
Requirements
- Qualified architect or equivalent senior design/project leadership background
- 15+ years of professional experience, with significant part in the Middle East
- Demonstrable experience in sectors such as mixed use, hospitality, residential, retail, commercial, masterplanning or large scale urban projects
- Proven ability to build client relationships and convert opportunities into secured work
- Experience leading teams and managing project delivery across multiple offices or geographies
- Strong understanding of the UAE market, regional procurement routes, client expectations and consultant coordination
- Experience working with international design teams and multidisciplinary project structures
Full Job Posting
About Us
- 10 Design is a global architecture and masterplanning practice, part of 10N Collective and Egis, with studios across the UK, Asia, the Middle East and the US.
About the Role
- We're looking for a Studio Lead to lead our Dubai studio, grow our presence across the UAE and the wider Middle East, strengthen client relationships, and oversee the successful delivery of projects through our global network of design studios.
Key Responsibilities: Regional Leadership and Business Development
- Lead 10 Design’s presence in Dubai and act as a senior representative of the business in the UAE and wider Middle East region.
- Build, maintain and strengthen relationships with clients, developers, investors, operators, consultants, contractors and strategic partners.
- Use existing regional knowledge and contacts to identify new opportunities and help convert them into secured work.
- Work closely with the CEO, Growth Board, Design Board, Commercial leadership and wider 10N network to shape and deliver the regional growth strategy.
- Lead and support client presentations, interviews, bids, proposals and strategic pursuits.
- Represent 10 Design with confidence, clarity and credibility at client meetings, industry events and regional forums.
- Bring market intelligence back into the business, including client needs, competitor activity, procurement trends and emerging opportunities.
- Help position 10 Design in the region as a design led, commercially aware and globally connected practice.
Studio Leadership
- Lead, manage and mentor the Dubai team, creating a clear sense of direction, accountability and momentum.
- Build a positive, professional and high performing studio culture where people understand what is expected of them.
- Ensure the Dubai team is properly connected to the wider 10 Design business and not operating in isolation.
- Support recruitment, development and performance management for the Dubai studio.
- Create the right balance between local presence and global delivery capability.
- Make sure the studio operates with discipline, clarity and consistency in line with 10 Design’s standards, systems and commercial expectations.
Project Leadership and Global Delivery
- Act as the senior local lead for projects in the region, giving clients confidence that their projects are properly led and coordinated.
- Brief, guide and manage remote project teams across London, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, the US and other studios as needed.
- Translate client requirements, regional context, authority requirements, procurement expectations and commercial priorities into clear instructions for the wider project team.
- Stay close to project progress, programme, scope, fee, risk, resourcing and client satisfaction.
- Work with project directors, design leads, technical leads and commercial teams to make sure projects are delivered to the right quality, on time and within agreed scope.
- Identify project issues early and intervene before they become bigger problems.
- Ensure strong communication between the client, the Dubai team and remote delivery teams.
- Be willing to roll up your sleeves when needed, particularly at key project stages, client presentations, design reviews, authority submissions or moments of pressure.
- Maintain design quality while ensuring that projects are commercially and technically deliverable.
Design, Client and Presentation Leadership
- Present 10 Design’s work clearly and persuasively to clients, partners and stakeholders.
- Understand the design intent of each project and be able to communicate it in a way that is relevant to the client, the site, the market and the commercial brief.
- Work with design leaders across the practice to ensure that our proposals are ambitious, credible and appropriate for the region.
- Challenge teams constructively when the work is not yet strong enough, clear enough or commercially aligned.
- Help clients make good decisions by bringing clarity, judgement and confidence to the process.
- Protect the quality of 10 Design’s output while understanding the realities of programme, budget, procurement and delivery.
Commercial and Operational Responsibility
- Take responsibility for the commercial health of the Dubai studio and the projects under your leadership.
- Work closely with finance and commercial colleagues to manage fee proposals, project budgets, scope, variations, invoicing, collections and project profitability.
- Ensure that new opportunities are properly qualified before significant time is invested.
- Support accurate pipeline reporting, revenue forecasting and resource planning.
- Make sure project teams understand the agreed scope, deliverables, programme and commercial parameters.
- Drive stronger discipline around project setup, communication, reporting and change control.
- Escalate risks early and bring solutions, not just problems.
Required Experience
- Qualified architect or equivalent senior design/project leadership background.
- Ideally 15+ years of professional experience, with a significant part of that experience in the Middle East.
- Demonstrable experience in sectors relevant to 10 Design, such as mixed use, hospitality, residential, retail, commercial, masterplanning or large scale urban projects.
- Proven ability to build client relationships and convert opportunities into secured work.
- Experience leading teams and managing project delivery across multiple offices or geographies.
- Strong understanding of the UAE market, regional procurement routes, client expectations and consultant coordination.
- Experience working with international design teams and multidisciplinary project structures.
Candidate Profile
- Significant experience in the UAE and wider Middle East architecture, development or design consultancy market.
- Strong existing relationships with clients, developers, consultants, operators and industry contacts in the region.
- A proven track record of winning, leading and delivering architectural projects.
- Experience working in a senior leadership role within an international design practice or multidisciplinary consultancy.
- Strong design judgement and the ability to represent a design led practice with credibility.
- Experience managing distributed teams and delivering projects through teams based in different countries and time zones.
- The ability to lead a small local team while drawing on the capability of a larger global practice.
- Confidence in client facing situations, including pitches, interviews, presentations, negotiations and difficult project conversations.
- Strong commercial understanding, including fees, scope, programme, resourcing, profitability, risk and client management.
- A hands on attitude and the willingness to get involved directly when the project or client needs it.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to bring clarity to complex situations.
- A collaborative leadership style, with the confidence to challenge constructively when needed.
Why join us
- This is an opportunity to lead an important studio within a global design practice at a key moment in its growth.
- The role offers the chance to build on 10 Design’s existing presence in Dubai, strengthen our position in the Middle East and connect regional opportunities with the full capability of our international studios.
- We are looking for someone who wants to take ownership, grow relationships, lead people, win work and help deliver projects that we can all be proud of.
Apply for this job in 1 click
Skip the repetitive application forms
Install the Base Career Chrome Extension and autofill job applications across major job boards with your profile.
Trusted by over 500,000 job seekers on Base Career
More from this employer
More jobs at Egis Group
Site Architect
Dubai, UAE
10 Design, part of Egis Group, seeks a Site Architect in Dubai to ensure architectural integrity and project compliance. You will review construction submissions, lead team members, coordinate disciplines, and implement
Planning Engineer (Airport exp)
جدة, KSA
Egis Group seeks an experienced Planning Engineer with airport operations expertise for a permanent contract role in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The role involves developing and optimizing project plans for airport infrastruct
Director of Projects
الرياض, KSA
Egis Group seeks an experienced Director of Projects to lead major projects in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The role involves strategic planning, financial management, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement. Requires 12-15
Risk Coordinator – Construction Projects
, KSA
Egis Group seeks a Risk Coordinator for construction projects in Riyadh. The role involves identifying, assessing, and monitoring risks to ensure successful project delivery and compliance. Candidates need 3+ years of ex
Rail Systems Maintenance Expert
Dubai, UAE
Seeking a detail-oriented Rail Systems Maintenance Expert to ensure optimal performance and safety of rail infrastructure in Dubai. The role involves preventive/corrective maintenance, diagnostic analysis, and coordinati
Rail Systems Maintenance Expert
Dubai, UAE
Egis Group is seeking a Rail Systems Maintenance Expert to ensure optimal performance and safety of rail infrastructure systems in Dubai. The role involves conducting preventive and corrective maintenance, diagnostic ana
Senior Architect - Site Supervision
Dubai, UAE
Egis Group is seeking a Senior Architect for site supervision in Dubai. The role involves overseeing architectural works, reviewing submittals, coordinating with disciplines, and managing inspectors. Candidates need a Ba
Senior Quantity Surveyor (Pre - Contract)
Dubai, UAE
Egis seeks an experienced Senior Quantity Surveyor (Pre-Contract) to lead cost management from concept to contract award on major construction and infrastructure projects in Dubai. The role requires extensive pre-contrac
Site Architect
Dubai, UAE
Planning Engineer (Airport exp)
جدة, KSA
Director of Projects
الرياض, KSA
Risk Coordinator – Construction Projects
, KSA
Rail Systems Maintenance Expert
Dubai, UAE
Rail Systems Maintenance Expert
Dubai, UAE
Senior Architect - Site Supervision
Dubai, UAE
Senior Quantity Surveyor (Pre - Contract)
Dubai, UAE